Paychex Flex Basics
Paychex’s cloud-based platform that unifies payroll, HR, benefits, and time management
What is Paychex Flex?
The year-end form Paychex produces that reports employee wages and taxes to the IRS.
What is Form W-2?
The form used to verify work authorization for new hires that must be retained by the employer.
What is Form I-9?
Recording the start and end of the workday using a physical or mobile device.
What is clocking in and out?
Continuation of group health coverage after a qualifying event.
What is COBRA.
The employee-facing portal in Flex where workers can view pay stubs and update personal info.
What is Employee Self Service?
The quarterly federal payroll tax return Paychex can file on behalf of employers.
What is Form 941?
The federal law that requires applicable employers to offer affordable health coverage or face penalties.
What is the Affordable Care Act, ACA?
Pay at 1.5 times the regular rate for hours worked beyond legal thresholds in many jurisdictions.
What is overtime?
The defined contribution retirement plan commonly administered through Paychex.
What is a 401(k).
The permission model in Flex that restricts access based on job role.
What are role-based permissions?
The process of calculating employee net pay from gross wages by applying taxes and deductions.
What is gross-to-net?
The notification sent to state agencies shortly after a hire to help enforce child support and unemployment rules.
What is new-hire reporting?
The timekeeping report that flags missed punches, early departures, or excessive breaks.
What is an exception report?
The document that describes plan benefits, eligibility, and claims procedures for participants.
What is a Summary Plan Description, SPD?
The setup option that lets admins track extra data beyond standard fields in HR and payroll.
What are custom fields?
The type of plan that allows certain pre-tax deductions, such as health and commuter benefits.
What is a Section 125 cafeteria plan?
A foundational HR document Paychex can help build that outlines company policies and workplace rules.
What is an employee handbook?
Assigning worked hours to projects or departments to track labor costs.
What is labor distribution?
The annual window when eligible employees can select or change their health benefits.
What is open enrollment?
These configuration items define how earnings, deductions, and taxes are calculated and reported.
What are payroll codes, such as earnings and deduction codes?
The state-based payroll tax managed per employer account and impacted by claims experience.
What is State Unemployment Insurance, SUI?
The FLSA classification determining eligibility for overtime pay and minimum wage protections.
What is exempt vs. non-exempt?
The digital step managers complete before payroll to confirm hours are accurate.
What is time approval?
The compliance tests that ensure a 401(k) plan isn’t favoring highly compensated employees.
What are ADP and ACP tests?